


Drift Compatible

by TyrannoVox



Category: Pacific Rim (2013), Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Mentallyfragile!Kirk, Sexual Content, Slow Burn-ish, Swearing, bottom!Kirk, top!khan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-20
Updated: 2016-03-08
Packaged: 2018-05-22 06:44:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 15,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6069190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TyrannoVox/pseuds/TyrannoVox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With the death of his mother and brother, Kirk is found by Admiral Chris Pike at the tender age of thirteen, physically and mentally scarred. When Kirk is twenty-three, he meets Khan, the pilot of Vengeance and who is in need of a co-pilot.</p><p>Beta-Read by Em</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Birth of James T. Kirk

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, welcome to my first ever Star Trek fic! I am very new to this fandom so...Please forgive me if I get any of the characters wrong! Hopefully you all will enjoy. Remember to send me some feed back, it would be much appreciated!
> 
> The first chapter will be reflecting on the events at the beginning of Star Trek. Some of the chapters will be based on other scenes but only a selective few.

**_January 4th 2017, New Jersey_ **

George Kirk and Richard Robau moved in sync within their new Jaeger’s Conn-Pod, watching as their enemy snarled from the waters beyond Long Beach. This was their first time fighting a Kaiju and they were prepared for this. The Kaiju in front of them was grey, big and bulky with glowing neon blue eyes that stared menacingly at them. The skull was at least twice the size of any other Kaiju they had seen on TV, earning it the apt name of BulkSkull, and its thick arms ended with four clawed fingers.

“ _ Kelvin _ ,” their commanding officer yelled over their comms, “hold the Miracle Mile as we try to evacuate the city into underground shelters or just beyond the city itself!” Their Jaeger was quite big, bigger than any other Mark I to date. Its armor was sleek and silver, accented by a red, tinted visor.

“Roger that, sir!” George responded before looking at his partner. “Ready?”

“You know it!” 

Richard grinned before they charged in.

* * *

 

Winona Kirk gasped as she was wheeled into a medical jet, her contractions getting more and more intense. She was helped out of the wheelchair and onto a secured medical bed, just as another contraction hit particularly hard, forcing a scream of pain out of her.

The nurse beside her quickly propped her legs up and moved the gown, checking to see if Winona was ready to push.

* * *

 

Metal clashed against tough flesh as  _ Kelvin _ brought its fist down on BulkSkull’s head, causing the Kaiju to almost do a faceplant into the water. The Kaiju managed to right itself before swiping its arm sideways, catching  _ Kelvin _ ’s right side, tearing into the circuitry and metal there.

“Fuck!” Richard yelled with a wince.

“You okay?” asked a concerned George.

“Yeah. Fuck, his claws can do some damage!” 

BulkSkull swiped at them again, but they quickly stepped back, countering by smashing an open hand against the Kaiju’s face. It lurched over to the side, whipped its head back around with a roar, then pulled back when it saw a metal arm coming its way. BulkSkull bit quick and hard into the arm, starting to shake its head like a dog with a chew toy.

“Shit!” George yelled as the pain in his right arm worsened and worsened until numbness eventually set in and he realised the Jaeger’s arm had been completely ripped off, thrown somewhere else. 

After that, it all went downhill.  _ Kelvin _ was getting beaten increasingly worse. Soon, the Jaeger had almost all of its metal torn away and the wires exposed, rendering it more vulnerable.

“Damn it! Sir, are there any other Jaegers in the area?” George asked, red lights flashing in the Conn-Pod.

“No, the ones that are remotely close are all getting repairs.” 

George and Richard looked at each other, sharing a mental conversation before nodding. They quickly typed into a holopad, only to be met with a red ERROR and the voice of their AI. 

“Escape pods non-functional.”

The two shared another look and George let out a shaky breath.

“Sir, can you patch me to my wife?”

“On it.”

George looked back at Richard before looking forward and tackling the Kaiju back into the water and off of the banks, sinking it deeper into the ocean. The patch went through and the first thing George heard was the cries of his newborn.

* * *

 

Winona panted, listening to the cries of her newborn baby - her and George’s  _ boy  _ \- as the nurses cleaned him up. One of the nurses wrapped him in a blanket and came over, handing her the bundle. Winona looked down, smiling softly at her boy.

The intercom suddenly came to life with a pained and tired voice. George’s voice. “Sweetheart?”

Winona’s heart pounded. She swallowed. “George?”

“What is it?”

“It’s a boy...he’s beautiful...”

* * *

 

George could feel tears in his eyes. A boy. He had another little boy. A little boy he wasn’t going to see crawling…walking…saying his first words. A little boy he wasn’t going to watch grow up…

He looked over to Richard, who typed in the code to overheat their reactor core. A timer popped up on their hub, counting down the minutes and seconds. George swallowed the lump in his throat before speaking again.

“What are we going to name him?”

“I was thinking Tiberius.”

“After my old man? Are you kidding? That's a horrible name!” He allowed himself to let out a small chuckle. “Let’s name him after your father.”

“James,” Winona said. ”Jim...it fits.” 

George looked up at the hub, at the seconds counting down.

 

_ 5… _

 

“Honey, listen to me!”

 

_ 4.... _

 

“I’m listening, George!”

 

_ 3… _

 

“I love you!”

 

_ 2… _

 

I love you, too!”

 

_ 1… _

 

“I love you so much — !”

 

_ 0… _

* * *

 

 

**“CONNECTION TERMINATED.** **_KELVIN_ ** **DESTROYED.”**

  
The words cut deep into Winona’s heart and tears rolled down her cheeks freely. She hugged her son -  _ Jim _ \- close as she cried silently. Her husband, her soulmate, was gone. She wanted to follow him right there and then, but she couldn’t. She still had to live for their eldest and now their youngest. Her kids were all that was left of her precious George and she would do whatever she could to protect them.


	2. Twenty-Three Years Later

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man! second chapter already up and running, damn two chapters in 1 day! Sorry in advance if I don't get some of the characters right. Also, sorry if my pacing's a little bit off if it is! But yeah, enjoy! 
> 
> I am also having Jim's past (in terms of brother and mother) be revealed later...dunno when yet.

**_March 12th 2036, San Francisco ShatterDome_ **

“Jim.”

A voice cut through his not-so-peaceful dream. He rolled over onto his front, mumbling quietly, on the edge of waking up and, quite frankly, not wanting to. All he wanted to do was to sleep more. He knew that if he woke up now, he’d be dead tired.

“Jim!” The voice only got louder. Why couldn’t it leave him be?

“JAMES TIBERIUS KIRK!”

Jim bolted up with a yelp as the voice yelled right into his ear. He quickly rubbed his ear before looking at the man who had disturbed his sleep. 

“What the fuck, Bones!” 

“Get ready, Jim,” Bones replied, crossing his arms, “or you’ll be late for your training-slash-partner roulette.” 

Jim huffed before throwing his blanket off of himself and swinging his legs around, his bare feet settling on the unforgiving, cold floor. He got up and gave Bones a pointed look. Bones just rolled his eyes before walking out and shutting the door behind him.

Jim stood up and went to his dresser. He threw on a yellow muscle shirt and swapped his night pants for a pair of comfortable sweatpants, slipping his shoes on before heading out into the hallway in a jog. Bones had already gone, but he didn’t mind. Bones was the CMO of the team, after all. 

He got to the training room, which was rather large with a mat placed in the middle of it. On the opposite side of the mat were quite a few people, all wearing red muscle shirts and pants. He walked up to Pike and Spock, the latter with a clipboard and a pen in his hands, ready to jot down everything that happened in this training session.

“Good of you to finally join us,” Pike said dryly as his own blue eyes glanced over to Jim. 

Jim just mumbled out an apology, taking his shoes off and stepping onto the mat. He heard Spock say a name and a kid, possibly eighteen with green eyes and reddish hair, walked onto the mat. The two fell into a fighting stance before lunging at each other. Jim quickly dodged an oncoming kick before grabbing the leg and slamming the kid onto the mat.

The same thing happened with the other would-be partners. None of them could predict Jim’s moves at all, clearly incompatible to him. He wasn’t expecting any different, though. These trials have been going on since he turned twenty and since the Federation decided to discontinue building the Jaeger program, a large amount of fresh cadets then shipped to this ShatterDome to hopefully become Jim’s partner.

“That’s enough,” Pike decided, taking a step forward. “Cadets, hit the showers. Kirk, come with me.”

Jim walked over and slipped his shoes on before following Pike and Spock out of the room and down the hall.

“You know the United Kingdom Jaeger,  _ Vengeance _ ?”

“Yes, sir.”

“It’ll be stationed here now, along with its crew. They should arrive within the week. I want you to — ”

“I know, I know, be on my best behavior.” Jim sighed and rolled his eyes. Honestly, Pike told him that every single day.

“You seem to enjoy getting in trouble,” Spock pointed out, causing Jim to send him a light-hearted glare.

“Not my fault that everyone seems to be an asshole,” he grumbled.

“Just hit the showers, kid.” Pike rubbed his forehead. “Then go and get something to eat.”

“Yes, sir!” With a mock salute, Jim returned to his room and retrieved clean clothes. He went into his private bathroom, undressing and stepping into the shower, warm water rushing down onto him shortly. He let out a sigh as the droplets pelted against his body, relaxing his muscles. His eyes slipped closed as he began to soap himself up, then rinse himself off before washing his hair. Once he was fully rinsed, he turned off the water and stepped out, drying himself and putting on the fresh clothes before leaving for the mess hall. 

It was a big room that reminded him of a high school cafeteria with its line of hungry people. He quickly got his tray, piling food and drink onto it, then sat down in between Sulu and Chekov at their usual table in the back.

“Jim! I’m sorry about the trials earlier,” Chekov said unhappily, but Jim smiled and patted him on the back. 

“I was expecting it, Chekov. Maybe I’m just not compatible with anyone.”

“You know that isn’t true,” Sulu cut in. “You’ll find the right person. Maybe it’s that pilot that’s transferring here, you know?”

“Oh come on  Sulu,” Jim muttered, taking a bite out of his steak.

“All I’m saying is that it could happen.”

“Right, and I’m totally going to find my soulmate in this pilot, too.”

“Well…” Chekov trailed off and Jim groaned.

“Why am I friends with you guys, again?”

“Because we’re the only ones crazy enough to be around you?” Bones offered as he walked over and sat down beside Chekov. Jim rolled his eyes and resumed eating, emptying his tray in record time.

As he listened to his friends talk, his mind couldn’t help but wander to the  _ Vengeance  _ and its pilot. He had seen the Jaeger on TV multiple times. It was all black with a red tinted visor and red accents and was big, bigger than  _ Enterprise _ . He had never seen either of the pilots, though, even when the one got hurt and was left off. He couldn’t stop imagining what the now-single pilot was like. Was he (if it even was a he) cocky? Care about only for himself? 

  
Jim would just have to wait until he met the pilot face to face to find out. 


	3. Khan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, thank you all for your Kudos and comments!
> 
> Thanks to Em, my beta-reader, this chapter came out in tip top shape! Hope you all will enjoy!

**_March 20th 2039, San Francisco ShatterDome_ **

Jim tossed and turned in his bed, a thin sheet of sweat covering his body, soaking his muscle shirt. His dreams were filled with nightmares of giant gaping jaws and haunting neon green eyes. Screams and cries echoed through his demolished dreamscape, disturbing him to the core. The eerie calls of the two people he cared about the most were pulling him into his mind, reaching out to him as a massive shadow came closer and a limb rose before being bought back down —

Jim sat up with a gasp, eyes wide and wildly fearful. He jerkily looked around until he got his bearings and started to even out his breathing. His eyes shifted to look at the bedside table, at the clock which read six-thirty in the morning. He groaned softly before sitting up and shuffling over to the bathroom to take a nice, warm shower.

Once he was showered, he quietly slipped on a pair of cargo pants, a yellow shirt, black jacket and a pair of combat boots before heading out into the hall. Most of the halls were empty at this time with some people wandering around, mostly maintenance. Sulu and Chekov worked in the command room so they had to be up at this time, getting the systems warmed up for the day.

He made his way into the hangar bay and went up to one of the platforms before sitting and looking up at the two Jaegers that were standing there, powered down.

_ Enterprise  _ was the biggest out of the two, having a foot up on the other. She was a Mark III and silver with sky blue accents and visor. She was one that had the digital power source, no nuclear power needed, which was one of the good things about the newer models. Less chance of radiation poisoning.

_ Shrike Gamma _ was a shorter Mark IV. He had a bright orange visor with a dark brown paint job and black accents. Jim thought it looked rather ugly for a Jaeger. Who would even paint it dark brown?

His eyes wandered over to the newest addition to the ShatterDome. Polished black paint shone even in the dull lighting, the visor dimmed in shutdown mode. The nuclear core within its chest gently whirled, humming throughout the almost quiet hangar. Jim knew that it was only a matter of time before this Jaeger’s team arrived. Deep inside, he was nervous about meeting them. Would they just know him as “James T. Kirk, son of the great hero, George Kirk” or as “James T. Kirk, the kid who has the most trouble finding a compatible partner”?

Jim let out a groan and slumped with a sigh. He absolutely hated being known as either of those things. Almost everyone thought of him like that, with the exception of Pike, Spock, Sulu, Chekov and Uhura.

“Why are you up so early, lad?” an older, Irish voice asked from behind him. He looked over and saw Jason Mast, one of the pilots of  _ Shrike Gamma _ and the eldest out of the two. He was at least pushing forty with greying brown hair and green eyes and didn’t seem to hate Jim, which was more than he could say about Jason’s partner.

“Yeah,” Jim sighed. “I’m fine.” 

“You're nervous about meeting the new team.” It wasn’t a question.

“I guess…”

Jason patted Jim on the shoulder but didn’t say anything else for a few long moments.

“Admiral Pike sent me to get you. You need to meet him on the heli-pad. The team is going to land within a few moments.” With that, Jason walked off and out of sight. Jim sat there for a minute before getting up and walking down the stairs to the door, opening it. He slipped out and headed down the hallway that led to the elevator. The elevator gave a jolt before slowly rising; it came to a stop at the desired floor and the gate-like door was pushed upwards. Jim walked out into the crisp morning air. The sky was just now becoming a dark blue as rain sprinkled down from it.

He walked over to Pike and Spock, who were standing at the bottom of the five stepped stairs that led to the heli-pad, Spock holding an umbrella above their heads. Maybe, Jim thought, he should have gotten an umbrella with him too.

“They’ll be here in five-point-one seconds, sir,” Spock told Pike, who nodded and glanced at Jim. Jim had his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jacket, his eyes glancing into the air nervously. Pike looked up into the sky once he heard the whirring of the helicopter and watched as it landed.

“Chris!” 

A man smiled as he stepped out. Jim could tell that it was Admiral Marcus, a man he had met previously at a meeting Pike had taken him to.

“Marcus.” 

Pike smiled back as the two men gave each other the salute. As Marcus descended down the steps, someone else came out of the helicopter, face hidden beneath a hood and a cloth that surrounded his face. Spock held out a folded umbrella and Marcus took it, opened it before holding it above the two. Once it was above them, the hooded man took the time to take off the cloth and the hood and Jim almost forgot how to even breath for a second.

The man was maybe twenty-eight years old, very pale with slicked, black hair and piercing green-blue eyes that zeroed in on Jim.

“This is Khan,” Marcus said, introducing the man with a swift pat on the back which was received with an irritated glare. Pike gave Khan a nod before motioning to Jim, who was still standing in the light sprinkling of the rain.

“I’m sure you remember Jim.”

“Of course.” Marcus looked Jim over. “He sure has grown since I last saw him.”

“It’s...nice to meet you again, sir,” Jim stated politely. He saw Marcus glance over at Khan, who looked intensely at Jim before extending his hand. Jim blinked. He looked at the hand for a moment, then reached out and took it, suppressing a shiver when his warm hand came into contact with Khan’s cool one.

“James T. Kirk,” he said, grinning confidently.

  
“Khan Noonien Singh,” the newcomer hummed, his voice a velvet baritone.


	4. Scuffle and Second Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Thank you all for your support, I wasn't expecting it. I will try and update as frequently as I can. I hope you all will enjoy this chapter!

**_March 20th 2039, San Francisco ShatterDome_ **

Jim walked down the hallway, his hair wet from the light shower of rain. He had broken off from the group, muttering the first excuse that came to mind. In all honesty, he’d wanted to go with them for the tour, but Marcus had always put him on edge and Jim didn’t even know why.

As he walked into the cafeteria, he could see some of the other residents up and eating at their tables. He quickly got his own food and sat down, alone this time, no Sulu, Chekov, or Bones in sight. Silently, Jim ate, staring at the wall in front of him. Of course, his peaceful breakfast didn't last long.

“Well, well, well, alone again, Kirk?” a cocky voice said from behind him. Jim glanced over his shoulder, knowing who he’d see standing there. Daniel Hendriks - green-eyed, red-haired, and looking smug as hell. 

“Bug someone else, Hendriks. I'm not in the mood for your games.” 

A second later, Jim was hoisted out of his seat and slammed down on the table, the wind knocked out of him. Before he had a chance to try and escape Daniel’s grip, a fist was brought down on his face, hard, splitting his lip. One punch was followed by another and then another, a bruise quickly forming on Jim’s cheek, his nose throbbing and his brow cut.

Seeing a chance at last, Jim managed to place a foot against Daniel’s chest and shove him off before scrambling away himself to get his bearings and bolt out of the nearest door. Breathing fast and hard, he pushed past everyone in his path as they left their rooms. Usually, he’d stay and fight but not today; he wasn’t with it at all for some odd reason. Was it because of the anniversary? That had to be it.

As he kept running and finally rounded a corner, an arm grabbed and tugged Jim into a residential room, one used for tending to the injured whenever Bones’ bay got a little too full. The lights flickered on over a few beds, a movable desk, and a cabinet that was most likely filled with medical supplies. He was pushed to sit on the bed and he did so with a grunt.

“Your file doesn’t lie, I see.” 

That rich voice again, sending shivers down Jim’s spine. He ignored his reaction, glancing up at his ‘kidnapper’, raising an eyebrow.

“Aren’t you supposed to be with Chris and Marcus, Khan?”

“I already know the layout, I’ve been here once before. Your Admiral just wanted to show us the renovations that took place.” Khan walked over to the cabinet, opened it and retrieved a first-aid kit before walking back to Jim.

“Why are you even doing this? You barely know me,” Jim said, watching as Khan opened the kit and took out a cotton ball along with some rubbing alcohol.

“Because,” Khan stated unhelpfully. He soaked the cotton ball with the alcohol, then said, “Let’s just say I have a hunch.”

“A hunch?”

“Yes. Now hold still.”

Jim, still caught in his surprise, did, only to flinch when Khan dabbed at the cut on his brow. He held back a hiss as Khan continued to clean the cut before smearing some ointment over it. Once that was done, he moved down to Jim’s busted nose and quickly fixed that up, too, his movements sure and easy.

“My bottom lip is fine,” Jim protested when he saw Khan’s eyes fall to his split lip. “It will heal on its own.”

Khan gave him a look, but put everything away and turned back towards Jim. 

“I’m guessing that you and Mr. Hendriks aren’t on the best of terms?” 

“Uh...you could say that…”

“And he starts things with you frequently?”

“Yeah.”

“Then he is unfit to be a pilot.” 

Jim just stared at Khan. He was expecting a lecture on how to react when someone was pounding his face in with their fists, but not this. Not Khan siding with him. He couldn’t stop himself asking, “Why’d you say that?”

“A pilot,” Khan replied, “should have better things to do than go around picking fights. Besides, you should give up on finding a partner in those cadets.”

“What?” Jim said, suddenly annoyed. “What are you saying, I should just give up or something?”

“No, dear Kirk.” Khan’s lips turned upward with a smirk and Jim told himself to ignore Khan’s familiarity just has he had the shivers. “I’m merely saying that you’re looking for a co-pilot in the wrong place.”

“Yeah? Well, there’s no other place to look.”

“But there is.” 

It took a minute before Jim understood what Khan was trying to say and his eyes widened in realization. This guy couldn’t be suggesting...

“You mean… _ you _ ?” he sputtered.

“Of course,” Khan said, as if it was plain truth. “I’m going to request a trial when I find Admiral Pike, but right now, I suggest you go before your friends start wondering where you went.” 

  
With that, he turned and walked out the door, leaving Jim to watch Khan go, his mouth still open in astonishment.


	5. Talk with friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all will enjoy this chapter!
> 
> I'd like to mention that this is the point where I start taking some ideas from the novelization and film of pacific rim, hope you guys don't mind!

**_March 20th 2039, San Francisco ShatterDome_ **

“Guys, I’m fine!” Jim insisted as his friends sat around him in the hangar bay, Spock and Bones on either side of him and the others standing behind. This was why he hated going to his friends when he was patched up or hurt like this: they always seemed to overreact when they didn’t need to.

“That bastard punched you without provocation!” Bones growled. “He should be taken off of that mystery plan I’ve been hearing about.”

“You know we can’t do that, Bones. And -- mystery plan? It’s hardly a mystery.” 

“I’ve been so busy, I haven’t had a chance to find out what the hell it is.”

“It’s pretty simple, actually. The three Jaegers will go to the breach with a nuclear payload and drop it into the opening.”

“And they think that will close it?”

“We have to try.”

“Jim,” Spock spoke up. “If you do not find a co-pilot soon…”

“Erm...about that…” Jim shifted, making everyone look at him. “Khan kinda...said that he was going to ask Admiral Pike to hold a trial between us…”

“He...what?” said Chekov, eyes widening.  

“He wants to try and see if we’re drift-compatible.”

“That’s not weird at all,” Uhura said sarcastically, her hands discreetly placed on Spock’s shoulder blades.

“Thing is, he seems so sure that the result will be us being drift-compatible. I could tell by the look in his eye.”

“Wow…” Bones mumbled. “He’s that confident?”

“Yeah, I don’t even know why that is.”

“The only advice I can give you is to be careful. Who knows if he’s really honest or not.”

“I know, Bones, I know.” Jim rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry too much about me. You won’t be seeing me in your bay any time soon.”

“I better not. You're already starting to give me grey hairs!”

Jim let out a chuckle before glancing up at  _ Vengeance _ . If he was honest with himself, he wouldn’t mind getting into that Jaeger with Khan. Sure, it’ll be nerve-wracking to have someone inside his head, looking through all of his secrets and even seeing his instant attraction towards Khan, but... maybe it’ll be worth it. Maybe there was this...connection between the two of them that would make their drift stronger than any other drift Jim had heard about.

“If you all will excuse Dr. McCoy and I,” Spock said, getting to his feet and dislodging Uhura’s hands, “we must examine the Kaiju tissue samples in the lab.” He gave Uhura a parting glance that would have seemed impersonal to an outsider, but Jim knew him well enough to notice the small softening of his face and what it meant. 

Bones stood up even as he grumbled, “I'm a doctor, not a scientist,” and followed Spock out, patting Jim on the shoulder before he did. 

“How can you go out with Spock again, Nyota?” Jim teased, unable to help it.

“Least I have someone.” She grinned and he placed a hand over his chest, giving her a mock hurt look. 

“Always gotta go for the low blow, don’t ya?”

“Joking aside, what are you going to do if Admiral Pike approves Khan’s request?”

“I’ll try my best as per usual. Can’t really do much else.” Jim shrugged and stood up. 

“Jim? What do you think will happen if it turns out that you two are compatible?” Chekov asked. 

“Then we’ll fight with the other two Jaegers. What else?”

“He would see everything, though…”

“I know, but you shouldn't worry. It’s something I always knew was going to happen and it's about time that I have someone else in my head, you know? I’m gonna go back to my room and relax. I’ll see you all later.” With that, he left them and headed out into the hallway, the same hallway, coincidentally enough, where Pike’s office was located. 

The door was closed, but as he went past, Jim could make out Pike’s slightly muffled voice saying, “...You do realize what you're requesting?” and his feet stopped walking automatically. 

“Of course, Admiral,” Khan replied placidly.

“Why? You haven’t even let the cadets have a shot at you.”

“I feel no connection with anyone.”

“And yet, with Jim, you do?”

“Yes. It’s how I met my first co-pilot, though that connection wasn’t as strong as this one is. As this one will be.”

“Because of this...connection...I should let you have a trial match with him?”

“Admiral, has anyone even come close to being drift-compatible with him?”

“No.”

“Then what’s the harm in allowing me a turn? Especially when I can guarantee you that he and I will be drift-compatible.”

Khan’s voice sounded as if it had come from closer, as if he was just on the other side of the door, and Jim quickly scrambled away, back to his room, where he slammed the door shut behind him. Why the hell was this guy so confident about this? Usually, pilots that were in need of other co-pilots avoided Jim at all costs, turned off by the cocky attitude he put on, so what was Khan playing at? Was he actually genuine or was this some sort of sick joke?

  
Jim let out a sigh before slumping down onto his bed, rubbing his face. Well, whatever was going on, it looked like he’d find out sooner rather than later.


	6. Drift-Compatible?

**_March 21st 2039, San Francisco ShatterDome_ **

Jim stared at his reflection in the mirror that hung on the wall in front of the shower. He was shirtless, his damp bangs clinging to his face, droplets of water rolling down his torso and arms. He grabbed a towel that was hanging from the rack and started drying off his torso, his lower half already covered by sweatpants.

“James Kirk, please come to the Trial Room,” Sulu’s voice sprang from the intercom. 

Jim hurriedly took care of his hair before slipping on his muscle shirt and shoes and leaving his room. When he jogged into the Trial Room, he could see Pike standing off to the side, away from the mat while Khan stood on it, wearing just a pair of sweatpants, his torso bare for all eyes to see.

_ Oh god. _ Jim swallowed, forced himself to tear his eyes away from those toned muscles, and looked at Pike who simply nodded. Jim took his shoes off and stepped onto the mat, ignoring all those who were gathering to watch the trial.

“Begin,” Pike’s voice instructed, and Jim quickly made the first move, sweeping his leg under Khan. Khan jumped up to avoid it, but Jim moved swiftly into the next attack, targeting Khan’s stomach and sending him sprawling on his back. Jim shifted so that he could have a hand on Khan’s throat and grinned boldly.

“One-zero.”

“Not bad, I suppose,” Khan stated with a smirk before he grabbed Jim’s wrist, pulling it away and wrapping his legs around one of Jim’s, tripping him over. As fast as lightning, he moved to kneel on Jim’s back, his hand on the back of Jim’s neck. “One-one,” he murmured and stood. 

Jim jumped to his feet, going on the offensive, punching and kicking in quick succession, but Khan was quick to block and dodge. Jim kept watching, scanning, before zeroing in on a fault, grabbing Khan’s shoulders and bringing him close, fingers poised at the pressure points. “Two-to-one.” He felt a rush of triumph that rapidly soured when Khan turned the move back onto him and seized Jim’s shoulders in return. 

“Two-to-two.”

“Touche.” Jim’s arms twitched before they dislodged Khan’s own and he took a step back. This time, it was Khan who went on the offensive.

The match continued and as the minutes passed, it became more and more obvious that the pair of them were moving in sync, as if they already knew what the other’s next attack would be. Twists, blocks, kicks, and punches were both thrown and countered with precision; soon, they were tied once again, four-to-four.

“Enough,” came Pike’s voice. “I’ve seen all that I needed to see.” He took a step forward and Jim dropped his stance to turn towards Pike, Khan following suit.

“As have I,” Khan said. “James is my co-pilot. Our match has proved that.”

Pike said nothing for a long moment, eyes trailing from Khan over to Jim. Jim stood rigid as ever, the nervousness he was feeling overshadowed by hope. Something changed in Pike’s face -- he’d obviously come to a decision then and there.

“Singh, report to  _ Vengeance _ in an hour. There you will meet your new co-pilot. Jim, follow me.” With that, Pike turned and walked away as the crowd that had formed began dispersing. Jim hurried after, giving Khan a last glance. Pike led Jim to his office and shut the door behind them.

“Sir--” Jim began, but was cut off by Pike reaching into his own pocket and then bringing out his closed fist. Silently, knowing that something important was about to happen, Jim put his hand forward, palm facing up. Pike’s fist opened and a locket fell down into Jim’s awaiting palm. 

“I told you that I would let you become a pilot,” Pike said quietly, almost solemnly. “I made that promise when you turned fifteen. I told you that you’d become one once you were ready. I believe that you are.”

Jim stared at the locket before looking back at Pike, his mouth hanging open slightly. Surprise, joy, even traces of anxiety tangled together in his chest and he knew that Pike’s knowing eyes could see it all on his face. “What if,” Jim said slowly, “what if I started to chase the rabbit?” 

“We’ll simply work on it,” Pike answered with a small, encouraging smile, his hand now on Jim’s shoulder. “I’m not going to take you off just because you slip up on your first try. It happens to everyone. Besides, I think I’ve held you back long enough. Now,” he added, smile growing bigger and more fond, “I’ve had a custom suit made just for you, it’s in your room as we speak. Go and try it on and report to your Jaeger in an hour.”

“Yes, sir.” A wide grin on his face, Jim exited the office and made for his room. Once he got there and walked in, what he saw made him gape.

His suit stood on a display stand, the lights of the room enhancing the shine of the black paint and the vibrant yellow accents that complimented the black perfectly. It looked identical to the  _ Enterprise _ suit, lightweight and with a helmet that seemed similar to a motorcycle helmet, except for the clear visor sitting further in towards the face. 

Jim reached over to touch the symbol on the shoulder pad, a symbol he would know anywhere, a symbol burned into his mind. It was that of the  _ Kelvin _ , his father’s Jaeger. For a moment, a fierce stinging started up in his eyes. He pushed it down, keeping himself in check before taking a deep breath and straightening up. 

It was time to get suited up and get ready for his first ever drift.


	7. Drift Trial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, we are at the half-way point(I think) now. Thank you all who recently gave this story kudos and comments! And don't worry, Khan and Kirk will soon be interacting more intimately here soon. That's all I can tell you though, so please be patient for that. Now, enjoy this chapter!

**_March 21st 2039, San Francisco ShatterDome_ **

Jim stood outside of the conn-pod, mentally preparing himself for what was to come, and then entered. Inside, it was black and sleek with a red tint to it. The motion rig sat in the middle of it all.

“Two pilots on-board,” the voice of the AI rang out. Jim could see Khan getting ready on the right side when he came around to the left. Khan looked at him, a smirk gracing his lips, but said nothing.

“Well?” Jim prodded. “Isn’t this where you say ‘I told you so’?” 

“No need,” Khan replied as he got onto the rig. Jim followed suit and once they were secure, Chekov’s voice came through the comm. 

“Conn-pod drop in three...two...one.”

The Jaeger head jerked and dropped. It sped down vertically towards the body. Jim had his eyes shut tightly, hating the twisting feeling in his stomach. Finally, the head met the body and, after all the connections were completed, everything stilled. 

“ _ Vengeance,  _ you are lined up and ready to go,” Sulu reported. Jim opened his eyes and saw a red holo-feed in front of him and Khan; it was mostly blank with only a few pieces of information on it.

Before he could look at it more closely, he heard Spock’s voice suddenly say, “ _ Admiral Pike, sir _ .”

“I'm busy, Mr. Spock,” Pike replied, but Spock continued talking, his voice low. Jim could only make out bits and pieces.

“ _ Dr. McCoy….illogical drift….Kaiju … _ ”

“Sulu, you're in charge. Proceed without me,” Pike stated abruptly, before he appeared to leave with Spock.

“Neural-handshake in two minutes,” Sulu said and Jim took a deep breath, steeling himself.

“Let the memories flow past,” Khan advised, his smooth voice like a soothing melody. “You cannot latch onto any of them and whatever you do, do not chase the rabbit.”

Sulu’s voice came through again -- “Handshake in five...four...three...two...one!” -- and a blast of memories hit Jim like a tsunami wave collapsing over him and he realized that they were Khan’s.

* * *

 

_ Khan staring up at the night sky. An older man beside him, also looking. The stars were out, little, far-away dots of light. Khan, slightly older, meeting his friends for the first time. Enrolling in the academy while he was still a teenager. Finding his first co-pilot. Killing Kaiju. Making it through the fight that left his co-pilot crippled. Seeing and meeting Jim. The sense of an instant connection washing over him... _

* * *

 

Jim swallowed just before his own memories hit.

* * *

 

_ A very young Jim playing catch with Sam, listening to his mother's singing at night, listening as Sam told stories about their father. Then, thirteen years old and crying in the middle of a street, a locket tightly clutched in his hand. Teenage Jim at Pike’s side, walking into a meeting with Marcus and the other admirals, leaving that same meeting and noticing a black haired boy - or was it a man? - talking to Marcus, only the back of his head visible. Meeting Bones and everyone else. Meeting Khan for the first time. Khan patching him up. _

* * *

 

“Holy shit!” Jim gasped, coming back to himself.

“Right hemisphere calibrated,” their AI announced. “Left hemisphere calibrated.”

They both lifted their hands and took up a boxer stance in-sync. A moment later,  _ Vengeance _ did the same thing.

“This...this is incredible…”Jim breathed out in awe. He’d never felt anything like this before, it was so surreal. Khan’s presence in his head was a strange feeling, but nothing uncomfortable. In fact, if he was honest with himself, Jim found it pleasant. Fulfilling.  

“It is, isn’t it?” Khan murmured in response. 

“Neural handshake strong and holding. Remember to take it slow and focus,” Sulu said and Jim could practically hear the smile in his voice.

“Yes, mom.” Jim rolled his eyes before he and Khan started to move into the next position, one that resembled a martial artist’s stance, and began performing Kata for Jim’s sake, letting him get used to the movements. As they ran through the choreography, Jim almost slipped into a memory here and there, but held on as tightly as he could to his focus. 

It wasn’t enough. A sudden flash of a memory still managed to stop him in his tracks and his heartbeat quickened.

“Khan!” he heard Sulu yell. “Jim’s out of alignment!”

Khan began talking, speaking in that soothing tone again, “James, listen to my voice. Focus. Don’t chase the rabbit,” but his voice was getting fainter and fainter with each passing moment. “It isn't...now...in the past…”

  
Jim heard nothing more after that. He was now trapped in the memory that still haunted him in his present. 


	8. The memory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I usually post a full day afterwords but I have work tonight, 4-8 PM, so I'm posting it at 11 in the morning so I don't forget to post it when I get home. Hope you all will Enjoy this chapter!
> 
> PS: I just realized i've been using the wrong year, its suppose to be 2039 instead of 2036, I'm so sorry about that!

**_April 5th 2029, Debuque, Iowa_ **

_ Jim drew a nervous breath, his hand clutching at the back of Sam’s shirt as they walked through the destroyed streets with their mother next to them. Lightposts were trampled and once tall, imposing buildings were now rubble. Cars and trucks were crushed and there were barely any other humans around; those that weren’t hiding somewhere lay dead among the chaos. The grim quiet was broken only by the occasional sirens and helicopters. _

_ Jim’s Jaeger shirt was ripped and dirtied, along with his pants. Dirt smudges were littered across his face and hands while his hair was greasy. His mother and brother were in similar shape. _

_ “Ma, I’m scared,” Jim whimpered.  _

_ “I know, sweetie,” she replied gently, reaching over to stroke her fingers through his hair. “We just have to go a little bit further to get to the evac choppers. We’re nearly there, I promise.”  _

_ Jim clutched Sam’s shirt tighter as they all started to turn a corner, only to stop, frozen, and stare at what was in front of them. _

_ A massive, four-legged figure loomed just a few blocks away, taller than any of the buildings still standing. From what Jim could see, it was dark blue with bright orange eyes and light grey markings and a rather big back that looked something like a turtle shell. Sharply, it turned its whole body around.  _

_ Jim’s eyes widened, his breath quickening. This monster, this Kaiju, was looking straight at them.  _

_ “RUN, BOYS!” his mother yelled, just as the Kaiju took a step forward, and Jim obeyed immediately, letting go of Sam’s shirt and bolting the way they had come. He could hear the roar of the Kaiju before its massive, ground-shaking footsteps started to follow, and he didn’t stop running, never slowing down until he tripped on a piece of rubble and it sent him sprawling onto the ground. _

_ “Jimmy, come on!” Sam urged, frantically helping him up. A sudden thud caught their attention and they looked behind to catch sight of their mother stumbling, a massive foot a few yards behind her. Sam quickly ran over to her, began pulling her up, when the Kaiju reared up onto its hind legs. With rapid movement, a massive arm swiped through a nearby building and large chunks of stone flew in every direction.  _

_ Jim felt something cold and tight constricting his chest. He could only watch helplessly as the chunks hurtled towards Sam and their mother too fast for them to escape, as they looked at him one last time, their eyes wide, as his mother began to shout, “Jimmy, remember what I told you! Be stro--” and never finished her sentence, she and Sam crushed like ants under an impossible weight. _

_ Jim’s heart almost stopped. His eyes started to tear up, a broken sob leaving his throat. He could see the Kaiju snarling and swiping at yet another building. Glass that was still intact shattered and was sent flying. Jim wasn’t fast enough and a shard sliced into his side, the burst of pain agonizing, and he screamed. As the Kaiju began walking forward again, Jim clutched his bleeding side and started to turn and run when he noticed a golden glinting on the ground. Without thinking, he scooped it up. It was his mother’s locket, the one that she always wore. His vision grew hazy, tears streaming down his face as he began to run again, trying to get away from the Kaiju stalking him. _

_ He knew he had to keep running. He had to get away from here, somehow. He wanted his mother, his brother and his father back. He didn’t want to be alone! _

_ Behind him, he could hear the beast give chase and he tried to run faster. Helicopters came into view, shooting at the kaiju, aiming for its eyes, and drawing its attention away from Jim and towards them. It seemed they were buying Jim time to try and get to safety, but if it was actually true, Jim wasn’t sure.  _

_ The next corner he rounded, he came to a sudden stop at the sight of the massive robot standing there. Recognition hit him instantly - he knew this Jaeger, had seen it before on TV. It was called  _ Enterprise _ and it was one of the fastest Jaegers around. _

_ The robot started to walk forward, towards the Kaiju. Soon, it was breaking into a run and jumping over Jim’s head, crashing into the Kaiju hard. Quickly, Jim scrambled up and behind a truck to protect himself from the force of the crash. He covered his head with his arms, hunched into himself, and waited. The sounds of the fight echoed around him loud and harsh, stopping after what seemed like hours. _

_ Jim stood slowly, shakily. He walked out from behind the truck, into the middle of the street, and saw the Kaiju lying just a feet behind the Jaeger, dead. The Jaeger itself was heavily damaged, its exposed wires sparking and armor missing from its chest. Part of its head was even crushed in, but Jim kept his eyes on it and watched as a man stepped out and onto the Jaeger’s shoulder, taking his helmet off. _

_ It was Admiral Christopher Pike standing there, looking down at Jim. _

* * *

 

**_March 21st 2039, San Francisco ShatterDome_ **

“James,” a deep, calming voice said, breaking through into Jim’s memory. Jim went slack even as he could feel the rig unlocking itself from him, but there were arms quickly wrapping around him, gently helping him sit down on the floor before hands took off his helmet.

“Breath, James,” the voice stated. It took Jim a moment to realize that it was Khan, sitting in his memory with him, watching everything, even the tears that started to run down Jim’s cheeks and the sob that broke past his lips. But Jim found that he didn’t care. The arms around him pulled him closer and he allowed them to, shifting his position enough to bury his head into Khan’s chestplates. His sobs came out freely. He hadn’t realized just how fresh the pain still was, how crippling the loss still felt.

Khan said nothing, just continued to hold him close.

After what seemed like ages, Jim quieted down to soft hiccups, his eyes undoubtedly red now, puffy and tired-looking. He felt himself being lifted up into Khan’s arms, held close to Khan’s chest as Khan exited the conn-pod and headed towards the engineers who were on standby to take their suits off. Khan set him down to allow the engineers to do their jobs, but once they were finished, Khan picked Jim up again and started to walk out of the prep room. 

“I’ll take him,” came Pike’s solemn voice from somewhere to the side. 

“Actually, Admiral,” Khan said quietly, “I’d rather take him to his room. His state right now is very fragile and I don’t want him to have any problems while the hand-shake is still fresh.” 

Jim heard Pike draw a breath before sighing.

“Fine. Make sure that both of you report to me tomorrow morning.”

“Of course.” 

With that, Khan resumed walking. Before long, they made it to Jim’s room and Jim felt Khan lay him down on the bed, pulling the comforter over him a moment later. Jim opened his eyes and caught Khan moving towards the doors, clearly intending to turn the lights off and leave. 

“Khan,” Jim called out, unable to stop himself. Khan paused and turned back to Jim, who swallowed and tentatively said, “Could you stay..? Until I fall asleep, I mean.” He regretted the words immediately, feeling so stupid for asking this of Khan. God, why the hell  _ is  _ he even asking?

But Khan merely switched the main lights off, the only thing that still remained glowing the dim red light above the door, and walked over to the bed, sitting down on the edge of it.

“Thanks, Khan.”

“Call me by my given name,” Khan replied. The warmth of his body reached Jim’s side even through the materials separating them. 

“All right...Noonien. Good night.” 

  
Jim shut his eyes and let himself slowly drift off to sleep.


	9. Morning after

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we go! hope you all will enjoy this chapter!

**_March 22nd 2039, San Francisco ShatterDome_ **

Jim and Khan stood outside of Pike’s office, waiting to be brought in. Khan was standing straight, arms at his sides, while Jim leaned back against the wall, arms crossed and looking down. Reliving his worst memory to its fullest detail was still affecting him and it was clear to anyone who looked at him.

They waited as Pike and Jason’s muffled voices continued to come from within the room. Jim noticed the glances that kept being thrown their way as others passed them in the hallway and he found himself shifting slightly closer to Khan. He was used to getting attention -- and mostly enjoyed it too much, Bones would say if he was asked -- but right then, after monumentally screwing up, it was the last thing Jim wanted.

“Nice piloting, Jimmy-boy,” a voice came from Jim’s left and Jim gritted his teeth. Hendriks, again. 

“I told everyone that we shouldn’t let a little orphan boy try to pilot a Jaeger.” Hendriks stopped in front of him, very close, then got even closer, smirking all the while. “You have no one, no one and nothing to live for, but I have my whole life ahead of me and I’d rather come back  _ alive _ . So, why don’t you just disappear. It would do everyone a favor.” He slapped Jim’s cheeks lightly before gripping the front of his jacket. “We clear?”

Jim didn’t have time to answer, but he didn’t need it. A pale hand shot out and grabbed Hendriks’ wrist.

“I suggest not touching my partner again,” Khan said in a deadly, calm voice. Jim knew that he was far from calm, though; it was like he could feel the anger that lay beneath the still surface. To Jim’s surprise, Hendriks let him go so Khan did the same, only for Hendriks to make another jab.

“Got your big, macho boyfriend protecting you, huh? Of course you would, mommy and daddy ain’t here to do it for you.”

Each word that left the bastard’s mouth made the red haze descending on Jim that much more stronger and by the end of the sentence, he felt himself snap. He tackled Hendriks into the opposite wall before beginning to wail on him, punches landing on Hendriks’ face and ribs.

Two arms came around him and he knew instantly who they belonged to. Jim slumped against Khan’s body just as the door to Pike’s office opened and Jason walked out.

“What the hell’s going on here?” Jason asked, incredulous..

“It seems like your co-pilot needs to learn when to hold his tongue,” Khan replied.

“He say something he shouldn’t have?”

“He brought James’ parents into the discussion.”

“Right. Come on, boy.” Jason grabbed Hendriks roughly and dragged him away, his face set in a scowl that promised nothing good. 

“Mr. Singh, Mr. Kirk, come in,” Pike called and the two went inside, Khan shutting the door behind them. Jim hid his hands in his pockets, knuckles still tingling, and was grateful that Pike pretended not to be aware. “Before either of you say anything,” Pike continued, “I don’t intend to keep you here long and I don’t intend to ground you, just tell you what the plan is for now.”

Jim held back a sigh of relief. “And that plan is…?” 

“To practice your drift in a safer way, such as in the simulator.”

“You sure that’ll work?”   


“I am.” Pike glanced at Khan, who nodded. 

“It’s a reasonable solution.”

“And hopefully, there will be no attacks before then.”

“Simulator it is, then,” Jim says. “Is that all?”

“Just one last thing,” Pike said, his voice growing wry. “Please do your best to steer clear of Mr. Hendriks or, failing that, do not engage him no matter how tempting it is.”

Jim ducked his head a little, hoped the embarrassment didn’t show in his face. “Yes, sir.”

“Dismissed.”

He walked out, followed by Khan, and they headed to the Mess hall, which was now a full house. As the two walked in, however, the chatter seemed to quiet down and everyone began glancing at them, whispering to one another. It seemed that the accident yesterday had changed everyone’s view of them, which, Jim thought, was bullshit. One upside was that Khan didn’t seem all that affected by it, so Jim tried to do the same and ignore the reaction they were receiving. Once they’d collected their food, Jim began looking for a spot for them to sit, but Khan nudged him with his elbow and motioned him to follow before walking out. Failing to see any reason to stick around in the Mess, Jim was quick to follow. 

Khan led them to a secluded platform in the corner of the hangar bay area, where the view consisted of the three Jaegers that were currently in line for examination. They ate in silence, not an uncomfortable one, but one where they were simply both occupied by their own thoughts. 

When they had almost finished eating, Jim took the chance to say, “I’m sorry about yesterday. Because of what happened, of my mistake, you’ve lost everyone’s respect.”

Khan scoffed. “I couldn’t care less about their respect. It’s not much of a loss.”

“I know, but--”

Khan looked at him evenly. “It was your first drift, James. Despite what I said, I was actually expecting you to chase the rabbit.”

“I wish you hadn’t seen that memory, though…” Jim mumbled before looking down. It still unnerved him that it had been the memory he always tried to hide away like a shameful secret.

“Ignoring it will only make the pain of reviewing it in the drift worse. We shouldn’t try to conceal memories from each other when it’ll only damage our ability to work together. To get to know each other better.” It was a surprise that Jim didn’t jump when he felt Khan’s hand rest against the back of his neck, stroking his skin with a thumb. “Our drift was strong. You felt that, too, didn’t you?”

Jim couldn’t deny it. He nodded, slowly turning his head, looking at Khan. The words he wanted to say died in his throat as he stared into that blue-green gaze. He noticed Khan leaning in, moving closer, but his own body sat there, frozen. Frozen and helplessly anticipating. His heart pounded in his chest. After what seemed like an eternity, soft lips firmly captured his own. Jim’s eyes fluttered closed as the hand on his neck brought him even closer. 

He couldn’t help his small moan as Khan tilted his head to deepen the kiss. Khan’s free hand started to slip under Jim’s shirt, his fingers ghosting over the scar on Jim’s side, and Jim gasped involuntarily. Khan took advantage, slipping his tongue past Jim’s parted lips, rubbing deliciously against Jim’s own tongue and setting his heart racing even faster.

“H-Holy fuck...” Jim breathed out when they broke apart. He hadn’t been expecting a kiss from Khan and he hadn’t been expecting the kiss to feel so damn good! The hand on the back of his neck moved upwards and into his hair and Jim leaned in again, licking his lips, wanting more, when the blare of the alarm cut through the moment, shattering it completely. 

  
He and Khan jerked apart and Jim felt the pleasure of their moment together disappear far too quickly. He knew what that particular alarm meant -- another Kaiju had come out from the Breach.


	10. Start of the Double Event

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! Chapter 11 might come out a little bit later than usual, i'm sorry for that! Enjoy the chapter!

**_March 22nd 2039, San Francisco ShatterDome_ **

“All right,” Pike said once everyone was gathered, Khan and Jim arriving last. “We have two  Kaijus, both a category four. This one is codenamed Riuge.” On the holo-feed, Pike pointed to the Kaiju on the left. It was rather large and lean with two protruding spikes on its head and elbows. “Then we have the second, codenamed Stunner.” The second Kaiju resembled one of those fictional Kaijus from the old films; if Jim had to guess, this Kaiju resembled a bipedal ankylosaur with older kaijus like Bulkskull mixed in. By the look of the specs, it was larger than Riuge.

“From what we can see,” Pike continued, “they’re heading towards San Francisco. It’s the first time they’ve headed back to a place they’ve already hit and we don’t know why.” He turned to the three sets of Jaeger pilots. “ _ Shrike Gamma, Enterprise, _ you’re up.  _ Shrike Gamma _ will hold the Miracle Mile and,  _ Enterprise _ , you have to be careful. You’re the only one that can take the payload to the breach. As for you two,” he turned to Jim and Khan, “stay here. San Francisco is being evacuated as we speak. Rest of you, get suited up.”

Jason and Hendriks were the first to walk out, the latter shoving his shoulder into Jim’s own as he passed. Jim felt Khan’s hand sliding up the back of his shirt, silently persuading him not to try and pound Hendriks’ face in. Jim forced himself to let go of the urge and just focused on Khan’s hand, completely missing the glance Pike threw at the two of them. 

Khan nudged and guided Jim towards an empty seat, making Jim sit down before wheeling over another chair for himself. His hand went straight back to where it had been on Jim’s back, an almost possessive touch. 

Jim relaxed, his attention turning to the holo-feed, disregarding everyone in the room except for Khan. He could distantly hear Sulu talking, but ignored it and waited. The two watched the launch of the Jaegers and their progress towards the Miracle Mile, but soon enough, Jim shook his head and whispered, “This isn’t going to work.  _ Shrike Gamma _ was created for strength. If Riuge faces him, he’ll be too slow. Same way if Stunner went after  _ Enterprise _ .”

“I know,” Khan whispered back. “But I think that  _ Vengeance _ is supposed to be our last card. Catch the enemy by surprise, I believe. My Jaeger hasn’t been seen by them in over a year.”

Over the comm, Spock said, “LOCCENT,  _ Enterprise _ in position. Awaiting visual on the Kaijus,” and from  _ Shrike Gamma _ , Jason echoed the words.

“The two hostiles are coming up on you now,” Sulu told them.

“We see nothing, Sulu,” Uhura replied. 

“They're there, circling right now, so stay sharp.”

Jim's knee started to bounce despite his attempts to sit still. Damn it, he should be out there! He felt the hand on his back slip away, relocating to his restless knee and forcing it still.

Tense with alarm, Sulu reported, “Riuge just hit  _ Shrike Gamma  _ hard! Stunner is going after  _ Enterprise _ as well!”

“It seems to be going after the stabilizing struts,” Spock said, the words slightly strained.

“The bastard’s got us pinned!” came Hendriks’ shout. “We can't get out of his hold!”

The snideness Jim was so used to hearing from him was replaced with obvious fear and whatever their differences, the sound of it didn’t make Jim feel good. He bolted up to his feet, walked over to Pike. “You have to send us out there right now.” 

“James--” 

“These Kaiju knows their weaknesses! If we don't go out there now, all four of them will die!”

“James, we can’t just--” 

“Sir…” Sulu interrupted. He continued in a voice slow and flat, “We’ve lost Jason. Daniel is still alive but  _ Shrike Gamma _ is down and…” He trailed off briefly. “Sir,  _ Enterprise _ is not responding. It’s like it got shut down.”

“The Kaijus are learning, Chris,” Jim said fervently, eyes never leaving Pike’s. “It’s something I noticed while watching the footage of previous battles.”

“What’s more,” Khan adds, coming to stand beside Jim, “ _ Vengeance  _ is analog rather than digital. It won’t be affected if the Kaiju targets the places where the digital components would normally be.” 

Jim clenched a fist by his side and waited. Pike glanced between them before letting out a controlled sigh.

“Singh, Kirk, suit up, you’re heading out.”

“Sir!” 

Throwing a salute, Jim stood up straight. He and Khan headed out of the room and in a blur of seconds, they were already in the prepping area, stepping into their suits and going ahead into the conn-pond. 

  
Jim moved onto his rig, looked at Khan who stood on his own rig, and grinned. Khan returned it with a more contained smirk and then -- they were dropped.


	11. Joined In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for waiting patiently for this chapter, I'm not real good with fight scenes so, I hope that this one is up to your satisfaction. Enjoy the chapter!
> 
> PS: Sorry this is such a short chapter!

**_March 22st 2039, Miracle Mile, San Francisco Bay_ **

_ Vengeance  _ was dropped into the bay, a resounding splash signalling his arrival. His head turned and saw  _ Shrike Gamma _ floating there, the right side of its head crushed inward. Nearby was Stunner, who was standing in front of a slumped  _ Enterprise.  _ Seeing him, the Kaiju snarled and  _ Vengeance  _ went into a boxer’s stance, waiting.

The massive Kaiju charged forward before swiftly turning around so that the spiked back faced him and jumped.  _ Vengeance  _ quickly sidestepped the attack and grabbed Stunner by the throat, slamming it down into the water and further, into the ground of the bay.  _ Vengeance _ pulled his fist back before letting loose a series of punches that left the Kaiju bleeding, blue blood trickling out in vibrant streams. He picked the massive body up, flung it onto the coastline, and approached it once more.

“Photon cannon,” ordered Khan and a panel in the wrist of the Jaeger slid back, a wide muzzle sliding out. 

Stunner started to stand, a vicious, bleeding hole in its stomach, its insides spilling out. Intestines dragged across the ground with each step it took. It roared at the Jaeger and took another staggering step, only to get struck by a shot directly to the face. Bits of its brain splattered onto the ground as the body fell backwards, finally destroyed. 

“That thing is definitely dead,” Jim said. “The second Kaiju must be in the city.”

“Yes. Are you all right?”

“Yeah. No chasing the rabbit yet,” Jim replied dryly, “so I’m good.”

With that, they started to move in sync and directed  _ Vengeance _ into the city, where the massive Jaeger maneuvered around buildings as carefully as he could. The distinct roars of a Kaiju drifted out towards them, distant at first, then growing louder and louder as they continued to draw closer.

“You should be coming up on Riuge right about...now,” Sulu informed them. Soon enough,  _ Vengeance _ turned a corner and there it was - down the street, digging determinedly into the ground, probably into a underground bunker.

Before Khan could do anything, Jim made the first move. He bent down and scooped up some cars, crushed them up into a ball and pitched it at the Kaiju, hitting it right on the back. Riuge stilled, slowly turning around, its gleaming green eyes zeroing in on the Jaeger.

“...You just couldn’t wait, could you,” Khan stated with a sigh.

“Uh...nope.” Jim grinned and they turned their attention back to Riuge, who was now barrelling towards them.

_ Vengeance  _ raised a fist and waited, alert, for the Kaiju to get close enough before letting it fly and driving it against Riuge’s face. Riuge tumbled back, shaking its head to regain its bearings, but  _ Vengeance _ didn’t let it happen, snatching Riuge by the throat and throwing it towards an empty building. The structure collapsed, turned into giant slabs of concrete that crashed on top of and stabbed into the Kaiju. Riuge didn’t give up, though, its tail whipping out furiously, catching the Jaeger in the side and making him stumble. 

The Kaiju quickly balanced itself on its feet again and pounced on  _ Vengeance _ , claws digging into the armor ferociously in an effort to tear it apart. The metal groaned, beginning to dent and cave under the persistent pressure, and Jim bit back a curse. 

Straining its arms, the Jaeger fumbled at first but then managed to find a grip and fix its hands to Riuge’s body, ripping it off before throwing it backwards. In a matter of seconds, the photon cannon revealed itself at  _ Vengeance _ ’s wrist once again and took aim, firing immediately. The shots didn’t miss and Riuge shrieked in pain, its chest and stomach scorched and then ruined completely with the final shot striking right through flesh and bone and into its heart. With sudden, eerie silence, the Kaiju, now reduced to nothing but a corpse, fell to the ground. 

Jim stared and then let out a long, deep breath. “We...we did it.”

“Yes,” Khan said, glancing over, “we did.” 

Containing the mixture of relief and awe he was feeling, Jim turned his attention to the comm to confidently report, “Sir, Riuge is down.” 

  
“Roger that,” Pike replied. Jim wondered if he was imagining the pride he could hear in that low voice. “Now bring  _ Vengeance _ back home for rest.”


	12. Calm Before the Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are almost done! Now, I wont be posting any chapter tomorrow or saturday because of my work, I can maybe post 13 on sunday but who knows. Welp, hope you all will enjoy!

**_March 22nd 2039, San Francisco ShatterDome_ **

As Khan and Jim walked out of the conn-podd, the first thing they heard was the sound of cheers. It continued throughout their walk towards the mess hall, getting louder and louder until they finally stepped inside and it became deafening. The crowd split apart and opened up a path for them and Jim felt proud as he walked, receiving wide smiles and accepting pats on the back. Hell, they even got a little nod from Hendriks, who was sitting at a table away from them, the injuries on his face covered with bandages.

“You two,” Pike started as Jim and Khan stopped in front of him, “are the most surprising duo this dome has ever had.”

Jim grinned brightly. “Thanks, sir.” 

“Sadly, we can’t fully celebrate or grieve just yet. The next battle will be soon and the worse is yet to come. I want our two remaining Jaegers to be repaired by dawn. Hendriks, can you still pilot?”

“Yes, sir, I can,” Hendriks said, standing up. 

“Good. Spock is currently with Dr. McCoy. Uhura, too, under my orders. Hendriks will be in  _ Enterprise _ along with another pilot. Now, I suggest you all go and get some rest.” There was no question that it was less of a suggestion and more of an order. Without another word, Pike turned and walked out of the room. Jim watched his departure, frowning a little and wondering who the other pilot was. He heard everyone mumbling to each other as Khan led him out of the room and towards the prepping room to remove their suits.

When they were done, Jim waited for Khan to speak up but Khan said nothing and remained that way while they walked in an apparently silent and unanimous decision towards Jim’s room. As Jim unlocked the door, he could feel the warmth of Khan’s body behind him, hot breath against his neck, and it made him bite into his bottom lip. He opened the door, walked inside, Khan following him in. 

“So...uh...make yourself at home.” Jim shrugged. This was completely different from when Khan had stayed over after the drift trial. Jim wasn’t having a mental meltdown this time, so it was hard not to notice the awkwardness between them. Khan, however, didn’t seem to be aware or, if he was, gave it no attention, casually sitting down on the bed. 

Jim joined him, their shoulders touching. After a moment, he tentatively pulled out the locket he kept on himself at all times and stared down at its delicate, precious body.  _ Mom. Sam.   _ “Do you think we can do this? Will this plan really work? We tried to go to the breach before, but we failed…”

“You shouldn’t think about the failed attempts,” Khan replied. “We didn’t have the data back then and now we do. This will work, James.” 

“How you can be so confident, I still don’t know.” Jim didn’t raise his eyes from the locket and sighed. A slightly larger hand moved into sight, settling on top of his. Slender fingers intertwined with his, the locket pressed in safely between them.

“I’m confident because I believe in the others, in us. Working together will be key.”

“Right, if you say so.” Jim felt Khan draw closer, his breath against Jim’s cheek, and Jim slowly turned his head to let their lips brush. Khan didn’t move away or even seemed fazed; he simply sat there, looking into Jim’s eyes. The small moment was broken once Jim let out a yawn and Khan chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. 

“Someone needs to sleep.” 

Letting go of Jim’s hand, Khan stripped himself of his shirt and his shoes before laying down. Surprised, Jim couldn’t help but stare at him. He had thought Khan would return to his own room, not stay and certainly not sleep in Jim’s bed with him.  

Swallowing, Jim took off his own shirt, carefully not thinking about how his scar was now exposed for Khan to see. He stood to rid himself of his pants and shoes until he was left wearing only his boxers. Hesitantly, he laid down beside Khan and let Khan cover them both with a blanket. The lights were on their lowest setting, so there was no need to turn them off.

Jim shut his eyes, his exhaustion tumbling down onto him like a pile of bricks. It was easy to start dozing off now that he was warm and safe and -- not alone. As if to remind him of that fact, fingers came to rest on his hip for a short moment before moving to his abdomen and stroking the length of his scar. Jim shivered under the gentle touch, but didn’t open his eyes or tell Khan to stop. The touch didn’t arouse him like he had thought it would. Instead, it settled him and Jim only felt his body relax, giving into the sensation. When he sank into his dreams, he knew he would be safe within them tonight.

* * *

 

**_March 23rd 2039, San Francisco ShatterDome_ **

“ _ Enterprise  _ and  _ Vengeance  _ on deck,” was the first thing Jim heard as he woke up. It was Sulu’s voice flowing through the intercom.

“Come, Jim. It's time,” Khan whispered softly into Jim’s ear, before rolling out of the bed and dressing himself. Jim fought away his grogginess and reached for his own clothes, pulling them on swiftly. The two hurried over to the hangar, where everyone else had already gathered. Jim could hear Hendriks mumbling to himself though he couldn’t make out any of the words.

“Admiral on deck!” Chekov announced and everyone promptly stood at attention. The sight that greeted them, however, wasn’t one they had been expecting -- Admiral Pike dressed up in the same suit he had worn ten years ago on that day in Iowa. The day he had saved Jim’s life. 

Jim felt tightness gather in his chest.

Pike walked over to where he stood with Khan. “Been a long while since I last wore this. A little bit too tight,” Pike told him, shifting his breastplate slightly, and Jim cracked a small smile.

“You sure about this?” 

“Yes. I have to, Jim. If I don’t, everyone will die.” Pike gripped Jim on his shoulder, squeezed once. “Besides,” he said with the faintest of smiles, “going down in a Jaeger isn’t too bad.” 

Jim didn’t say anything. He watched silently as Pike found himself a platform to stand upon and gaze down at everyone.

“Our hopes,” he began in a strong, unwavering voice, “are on a string now. The monsters are at our door and now, it is time. It is time to strengthen that string of hopes and bring the fight to them. Today is the day we shall end this nightmare. Today,” Pike’s voice only grew stronger, more determined and defiant, “is the day that we are canceling our supposed apocalypse!”

  
The speech, short and sweet and still resonating in their minds, was met with cheers and applause. Pike was right. Now it was time to seal the breach and end this war with the monsters.


	13. The final Mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My longest chapter yet I believe! Sorry for a day delay. Sadly, the same thing will happen again for 14, Em and I will try it to get it out on Monday. Hope you all enjoy this one!

**_March 23rd 2039, Pacific Ocean, The Ocean Cliff_ **

“You are thirty meters from the Ocean Cliff. Just drop down and you’ll be close to the breach,” Sulu said. “There are two Kaijus circling it. Codenames Hunchback and Nero, both Category IV.”

“Roger that. Switching on instruments,” Pike said. 

Beside Jim, Khan typed in a code and flicked at switches. Jim swallowed as they came closer and closer to the edge of the cliff, but pushed aside his nervousness and thought,  _ We can do this _ . They reached the cliff and jumped down, clouds of sand stirred up by their landing. 

“Just dropped, now closing in on the breach,” said Hendriks as the two Jaegers began to walk. They had moved along about ten meters when  _ Enterprise  _ abruptly stopped in her tracks and, confused,  _ Vengeance _ did the same. 

“Why have we stopped?” Hendriks asked, apparently just as puzzled as Jim. 

“Something isn’t right,” Pike answered. “They’re just sitting there.”

“Then let’s go for it!”

“Hendriks, didn’t you hear what I just said?  _ Something isn’t right _ .”

“It’s not going to work!” A voice rang out from the comms and Jim blinked. Was that...Bones?

“Sir,” Bones said urgently, his voice breathless, “even though the breach is open, you won’t get the bomb through!” 

The questions that immediately leaped to Jim’s mind were answered as Spock continued, “The breach reads the Kai ju like a genetic barcode, then it lets them pass.” 

“Meaning you’ll need to trick the damn thing into thinking you have the same genetic make up, that you're a Kaiju.”

“This will only be achieved by locking onto a Kaiju and falling into the breach with it, thus successfully fooling it into reading the genetic code and allowing you access.”

Jim and Khan looked at each other, Jim’s heart falling down to his stomach. He’d known that there was a possibility they wouldn’t come out of this alive, but he’d also hoped there’d be a slim chance. Now, listening to Bones and Spock...that chance just vanished into nonexistence.

But it wasn’t a thought he was allowed to dwell on, Sulu’s voice taking over the comms again, rushing to warn them, “Sir, a third Kaiju is coming from the breach!” 

“How big is it?” asked Pike.

“It’s…” Sulu hesitated. “It’s big, Sir...it’s a category V…”

“Shit,” Jim muttered. They were royally fucked now. With three on two, they couldn’t even hope to make it to the breach. He watched, stunned, as a massive form swam up from the breach and ventured close to  _ Enterprise _ . It was easily three times the size of  _ Vengeance _ .

“ _ Enterprise _ , we see him,” Khan replied, somehow still calm and composed. “We’ll--” 

A mass suddenly clashed against  _ Vengeance _ and he temporarily lost his balance. Turning his head, he saw Hunchback latched onto his middle with a fierce and stubborn grip. Hunchback was as large as Stunner had been and had a single horn protruding out from its head, a horn it was currently attempting to stab into  _ Vengeance _ ’s chest. The Jaeger grabbed the horn, snapping it off with a strong twist, and Hunchback was forced to loosen its grasp, roaring in pain.  _ Vengeance  _ pressed its advantage and grabbed the Kaiju, throwing it further backwards. 

Barely a second later, Jim let out a startled, pained yell at the bolt of agony that rushed up his leg without warning. He took a look and saw Nero, a very lean and narrow Kaiju that looked something like an eel with clawed fins and a row of spikes decorating its spine. Its jagged teeth were biting into  _ Vengeance _ ’s leg and out of the corner of his eye, Jim could see Khan’s fingers typing once more. Suddenly,  _ Vengeance _ ’s right hand transformed into a sword and stabbed Nero in the head, twisting multiple of times before swiping to the left. Blue blood poured from the deep wound and into the water. 

Jim looked up to find  _ Enterprise _ badly damaged, most likely suffering from multiple hull breaches. The newest Kaiju was bleeding heavily, its tail gone along with one of its arms. Hunchback was on the other side of the Jaeger, waiting eagerly to tear into the metal.

“Hold on, Chris, we’re coming!” Jim shouted into the comm as he and Khan started to limp forward.

“No!” Pike snapped. “Do not come here! Stay back, Jim!”

“ _ What _ ? No, we’re coming!”

“You both know what you have to do!” Pike replied and  _ Vengeance _ came to a stop. “Take  _ Vengeance  _ to the breach!”

“Heading for the breach now,” Khan said. Jim threw him a look, dismayed, another protest on his tongue. 

“Jim,” Pike said, softer now, but no less serious. “Finish this for the both of us. Finish this for your parents and for Sam.”

“Chris…” Jim’s voice could manage nothing more than a broken whisper.

“You’ll always have me, you know. Just find me in the drift.” 

There was so much affection in Pike’s voice and Jim’s eyes watered as he listened. His heart was sinking lower and lower, his throat growing tight. His tears threatened to overflow.

“Khan.”

“Yes, Admiral?”

“Take care of my boy. He’ll need someone with him.”

“I will,” Khan promised. Jim could sense those sea-green eyes on him. “You have my word.”

“Good.”

No one else spoke for a moment. Tentatively, Hendriks asked, “Sir? What are we going to do?”

“There’s nothing we can do,” Pike said, “except clear a path for them. You ready, Hendriks?”

“Well, sir, it’s like what Jason always used to say -- don’t give up until the end. It’s been a pleasure, Admiral Pike. And, uh, Kirk? About all of that shit I pulled...”

“I know, Hendriks.”

“You’re going to do great, kid.” 

“You, too.” Jim could see the payload light up and he pressed the comm button as the two Kaijus started to head towards  _ Enterprise _ like predators approaching their wounded prey. “Chris,” he began while Pike could still hear him, but then Jim faltered and shook his head. Despite all the years spent at Pike’s side, learning and living under Pike’s unwavering guidance and steadfast support, Jim had never said the one word that encompassed everything Pike had been and would always be to him. Now it was the last time he would ever get the chance to say it and know that Pike heard him, that he  _ knew _ , no matter how long it’s taken Jim to say it. “Dad...I love you.”

“I’m proud of you, son. Don’t ever forget that.” 

Pike was smiling. Jim heard it in his voice and could perfectly imagine the small, kind smile in his mind.

Those were the final words to come out of  _ Enterprise _ ; seconds later, the payload was detonated and  _ Vengeance _ had to quickly stab his sword into the ground, bracing himself. The shockwave hit like ten powerful tidal waves all at once and the sword was nudged backwards, but still held. The water was gone for a second before it washed back and settled.

“Systems critical,” the AI stated. “Left leg critical.”

“Let’s finish this,” Khan declared and Jim nodded, forcing away all emotion to focus on what was about to happen, what Pike’s final order had been.  _ Vengeance _ began limping forward until the category V Kaiju jumped down in front of him, snarling and roaring. 

Jim glanced at Khan and thought about what he was planning to do in the next moment and how angry Khan would be because of it. He went ahead with it anyway, typing in the first code, then the second.

“What are you doing?” Khan asked sharply. 

Jim didn’t let his fingers hesitate. “I’m not going to let anyone else I care about die for or with me,” he said and punched in the last digit. 

Khan’s eyes widened just as his rig started to rise. “Don’t you dare!” he growled with a snarl, struggling to pull himself out of the rig. “ _ James _ !"

“I’m sorry, Noonien,” was the last thing Jim said to him before Khan was completely encapsulated in the escape pod and jetted out into the water and up towards the surface. 

Jim took a deep breath and looked forward. “Rear thrusters...go!” 

He hit both switches and  _ Vengeance _ sprung forward to wrap his arms around the Kaiju, the sword cutting into the back of its neck, and then they both were falling. The Kaiju thrashed, claws digging into  _ Vengeance _ ’s back, but he hung on. As the two fell deeper into the breach, the sword cut off its head and  _ Vengeance  _ let the Kaiju go.

“Jim,” Sulu shouted, “you need to do it now!” 

“I know,” Jim forced out. The air in his lungs seemed to be thinning. “I just...need a breather…” He watched as the Jaeger got closer and closer to the other end of the breach and sighed before initiating the nuclear core meltdown. “T-minus...fifteen seconds…” The temperature began rising quickly and sweat broke out in beads across his skin. “Well,  _ Vengeance _ ...looks like...it's just you...and me now huh…?” Jim smiled. “It’s been a short, wild ride...but everything’s gonna be fine...” 

  
His sight blurred, the heat too much to endure, and Jim’s eyes slowly closed as he lost consciousness. 


	14. Awakening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second to last chapter! Soon we shall be done with this fic! Hope you all will enjoy this one!

**_March 30th 2039, San Francisco ShatterDome_ **

_ Let's name him after your father.” A man’s voice… _

_ “Jim…” Mom… _

_ “Come on, Jimmy, lets go play!” Sam… _

_ “...Just find me in the drift.” Chris… _

Eyes snapping open, Jim gasped as he came back to reality. He stared up at the ceiling before looking over to the left and finding Bones standing there, looking at Jim’s vitals.

“You were almost dead,” was the first thing Bones said. “You were extremely overheated and you’ve been out for a week.”

“How did I…”

“I don’t think anyone knows. Some people are calling it a miracle, but only when they’re not around Spock, who’s more than happy to share what he thinks about miracles. Oh, by the way.” Bones leaned close like he was about to share a secret.  ”You're currently in big trouble with Khan. He didn’t visit the whole time you were here.” 

Jim...hadn’t really expected Khan to. It was disappointing, but he had no right to feel disappointed when he’d done what he had, even if it was for a good cause. Bones straightened up before going over to the controls and that was when Jim noticed the other presence in the room. “Hey, Spock,” he murmured and watched as Spock walked closer and stood beside his bed.

“You gave everyone quite a scare.” 

There was no expression on Spock’s face, but Jim still felt embarrassed. “Sorry about that.”

“Well, your vitals are good,” Bones said, turning back to them again. As he began detaching the equipment secured to Jim’s body, he continued, “There’s no reason to keep you here any longer, so feel free to leave unless you can’t get enough of my presence. Your clothes are in the changing room over there.” 

“Thanks, Bones.” 

“Stay out of trouble, kid. I mean it. My heart can only handle so much.” 

Spock added, “I second that opinion, Doctor.”

“Really, Spock? I wasn’t aware you had a heart,” Bones replied, slipping into the usual pretence of animosity that characterized his conversations with Spock. 

Jim gave them a small smile and stood, legs feeling weak at first. He made his way into the changing room, where there was a pair of loose jeans, a yellow shirt, a black jacket and a pair of black boots to change into. He gave Bones and Spock one last nod before walking out of the medbay and into corridors that were empty. Jim waited expectantly, but encountered no one on his way to his room. 

When he arrived, he was surprised to find the door already unlocked, but the surprise was quick to leave once he remembered that the clothes he was wearing right now had naturally come from his own wardrobe. Thinking nothing more of it, Jim walked in and shut the door behind him only to find himself suddenly slammed against the door by a pair of hands grabbing his shoulders tightly. Furious eyes stared at him, Khan’s jaw tensed. For a moment, all Jim could think about was that Khan was shirtless, wearing nothing but black sweatpants. 

“You,” Khan began with a snarl, “are an idiot! How could you even think of doing something so stupid! Piloting by yourself is not something everyone survives!”

“Noonien--”

Lips covered his own in an angry, heated kiss. His eyes widened as Khan’s tongue assuredly shoved into his mouth and the hands on his shoulders dropped to the hem of his shirt and jeans. One hand ventured lower and Jim gasped as it started to palm him through the front of his jeans.

Khan didn’t give him a break, pulling away from the kiss to harshly nip and bite at Jim’s neck and throat and Jim let out a small, helpless moan. Khan’s hands were still moving over his body, pushing the jacket off of his shoulders, and Jim was pulled close again for another ferocious kiss. In the back of his dizzy mind, he thought that if this was what happened when he angered Khan, then he needed to do it more often. 

But that thought left Jim as quickly as it had appeared when Khan slipped a hand under Jim’s shirt and rubbed a thumb over his nipple before pinching it lightly. Jim whimpered against Khan’s lips as Khan did the same to his other nipple and he had to break the kiss, taking off his shirt. Khan used the opportunity to move Jim away from the door and pushed him onto the bed until he was lying down, tugging off his boots and socks for him. 

“The things I want to do to you,” Khan murmured, crawling elegantly on top of Jim, his eyes intent. His anger seemed gone, replaced by unmistakable hunger, and the next second had the delightful wet heat of his mouth set around Jim’s nipple, teeth grazing against the hardened bud.

“O-oh god!” Jim gasped as he felt himself harden even more, his jeans growing uncomfortably tight. He wanted the filthy promise that was present in Khan’s words, in his husky voice, and threaded his fingers through Khan’s hair, pushing his mouth closer. 

Khan’s hand skimmed over Jim’s ribs, a touch Jim felt like it was a spark of electricity, and he barely noticed Khan unbuttoning and unzipping his jeans, dipping his hand under the waistband of Jim’s boxers. Confident fingers wrapped around Jim, starting to pump slowly. Jim moaned brokenly and bucked, trying to get Khan to pump faster, a little rougher.

A frantic, “ _ No _ , “ left Jim’s mouth without his permission when Khan moved away to focus on stripping Jim of his jeans and boxers, but Khan’s hand quickly returned to Jim’s erection, stroking exactly like Jim wanted him to. He was watching Jim as his hand moved, not even blinking, like Jim was too good of a show for him to miss even a second of. Jim didn’t know if it was those intense eyes, their unfaltering attention, or the skill of Khan’s hand that was driving him so crazy.

He groaned and buried his face into Khan’s shoulder, panting shamelessly. Khan’s thumb swiped across the head, causing Jim to cry out at the sensation. He felt Khan moving, reaching for something, probably lube, he thought hazily, and shuddered in anticipation of what was to come.

“So the entire week I was out, were you planning on doing this? Just, uh, jumping me the second I walked in through the door?” Khan gave him a  _ look _ and Jim said, “I’ll be shutting up now.” 

“No,” Khan said. “You’ll be letting me hear every single sound you make when you have my hands on you.” Those hands then glided up Jim’s thighs, silently encouraging him to spread them. 

Jim didn’t need the encouragement; he was only too glad to give Khan what they both wanted. It didn’t stop him from saying, “Feels a bit unfair. You’re still wearing pants while I’m completely exposed.” 

Khan bent down, his hands now on Jim’s knees, and dropped a line of kisses going up the inside of Jim’s thigh. “You’ll see me soon enough,” he replied and Jim’s breathing shook as he felt Khan’s mouth stop close to his balls and begin patiently sucking a mark into existence. Jim wanted to throw his leg over Khan’s shoulder and pull him in that way, push his mouth closer and onto Jim’s pulsing cock. 

Khan seemed to partially hear Jim’s thought because he hooked Jim’s leg over a shoulder, exposing him, and -- Jim sucked in a breath -- a slick finger stroked over his hole, then lightly pushed inside. Jim let out a low moan. It ached and burned a little, but it was an ache and burn he wanted more of immediately, and more was what he got, Khan soon sliding two wet fingers into him, opening him up, leaving him writhing. 

“More,” Jim demanded. “I need you. I need  _ you _ .” 

He might’ve said it again, but Khan kissed him hard and it left Jim’s mouth tingling. “You’re gorgeous like this,” Khan said, finally beginning to sound as desperate as Jim felt. He slipped his fingers out of Jim, shifted to pull down his pants. 

Jim groaned at the sight of Khan’s cock and felt himself clenching at the thought of having the thick, flushed length inside him. Impatiently, he dragged Khan down on top of him again, loving the slide of their hot, sweat-slick bodies, and wrapped a leg around Khan’s hip.  “Show me what you wanna do to me,” he said, staring straight into Khan’s eyes. 

With a tilt of his hips and a well-aimed, deep thrust, Khan did, groaning like there was nothing more perfect than pushing into Jim, having Jim tight around his cock. 

It was almost too much, being taken like this, feeling full and split apart at the same time. Jim arched and cried out and said, “More, please, more.” Khan moved steadily, seemingly thrusting deeper into Jim each time, like he wanted to touch all of Jim. Jim grabbed at him, at his hair and his shoulders, moaning and clenching down on Khan’s cock, dragging out a moan from Khan each time he did. 

There was a tightness in Jim’s belly, behind his hips, one that kept growing and growing with each powerful drive of Khan’s hips. A sound Jim would never have recognized as his own tore out of his throat when Khan struck his prostate and through half-open eyes, he saw Khan’s look of wild triumph. Khan picked up pace, hips working harder, and Jim knew he would feel this tomorrow, the thrilling ache of having Khan inside him. 

The end was nearing fast, the only way it could end when everything felt this good, this intense. The sensations were overwhelming Jim’s body and he reached down in between them, gripping his straining cock and stroking frantically. He pushed down at the same time into Khan’s erratic thrusts and came with a yell as his body tightened around Khan. Khan let out a growl as orgasm relentlessly tore through him also and he came deep inside Jim, their bodies trembling together. 

Unbalanced as he was, Khan didn’t let himself collapse onto Jim and carefully pulled out to lay down beside him. Jim shivered at that sensation of Khan drawing out, shivered again at how empty he suddenly felt. He turned onto his side gingerly, still trying to regain his breath, and let Khan pull him close, watching the heaving of Khan’s chest. Of all the things he had expected to happen when he found Khan in his room, he certainly hadn’t expected this. Some scolding, sure, but certainly not sex. 

His eyelids were becoming heavy and it was tempting to allow sleep to take him, but Jim resisted. There were still some things they needed to say before that happened. 

He decided to start by voicing out loud his earlier thought. “If great sex is what happens when I piss you off, I don’t really see an incentive to behave myself.” 

“Idiot,” Khan muttered with a snort. “You pull something like that again and I’ll be the one to personally kill you.” 

“Yeah, yeah. You’ll kill me by thoroughly fucking me, I’m sure.” Jim took a moment before letting out a sigh, which was promptly followed by a yawn. “I promise, though, no more self-sacrificing for me. Not like there's any need to now, anyway.”

“No,” Khan said. “There isn’t.” He turned his head into Jim’s hair. “You saved us all.” 

“Remember that next time you’re angry at me.” Jim smiled weakly. “Couldn’t have gotten there without help from some great people.” 

  
The tiredness was refusing to be ignored any longer and this time Jim let his eyes fall shut, sleep rising up to swiftly overtake him. The last thing he heard before drifting off into a dreamless abyss was a contented rumble coming from within Khan’s chest.


	15. Epologue: 15 Years Later

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the end of this fic! hope you all enjoyed this story. Thank you all for your wonderful Kudos and comments!
> 
> I do have some more Khirk fics lined up BUT Em and I will be taking a breather for now. We will do more though, all n do time!

**_June 30th 2054, outskirts of San Francisco_ **

George Pike Singh had shiny black hair and bright blue eyes and he was like any other ten year old, laughing loudly as he played in the backyard with a Great Dane called Butler. From the living room window, Jim watched as the pair chased each other in an enthusiastic game of tag and was unable to hold back a smile at the sight. Turning his head, he looked down at the photos that were displayed on the table beside the couch.

One was a group picture of Jim and the crew, taken on the one year anniversary of the breach closing, and another was of him and Khan out on a date, a little clumsily taken by Jim’s own hand. Then came the photo of their wedding day, where happiness seemed to pour out of their every feature and they stood pressed tightly together, secure in each other’s arms. The last was taken on the day of George’s birth and in it they stood with Jane, George’s surrogate mother, as she held George in her arms and all of them had bright, wet eyes. Looking at the picture again made Jim feel another swell of gratitude for the woman who had been kind enough -- delighted, even -- to help them fulfill their wish for a child. 

It wasn’t the only thing he was grateful for; Jim had a list as long as his arm. After that day he and Khan had given into their growing attraction and affection for each other, it only seemed natural to stay at each other’s side, explore the connection that had been present between them from the very start. 

That connection had grown deeper, stronger, as the days went by and they turned their attention to using what they’d learned at the ShatterDome to carve out careers as engineers. Khan became the most precious person Jim had in a world that was finally learning to readjust itself to life without the threat of Kaijus. From the way Khan looked at him, touched him, cared for him, it had been clear to Jim that he was just as precious to Khan. 

And then, it wasn’t just the two of them, but George too, a wonder of their own who would never know a painful childhood the way Jim had, not if he and Khan had anything to say about it. 

A chuckle came from behind Jim, interrupting his thoughts. Arms slipped around his waist. “Are you reminiscing again? You know you’re not  _ that _ old, don’t you?”

“I’m very aware of how not-that-old I am,” Jim replied as he leaned back against Khan. “I think I demonstrated that pretty well last night.” 

“Mmm, yes, you did, and I hope I showed my appreciation adequately enough.” Khan nuzzled at him and then settled his chin on Jim’s shoulder. “Is he still playing outside?”

“Of course. He’s like me, he loves it outside.” Jim grinned and received a soft kiss on the neck in reply. Even after all the years, he still basked in the sweet sensation of having Khan’s lips against his skin. 

“Better tell him to come in. The others will be here soon. I’ll just go and check the food.” With a last kiss, Khan released Jim and wandered back into the kitchen. 

Jim reached out to open the window. “George! It’s time to come in!” 

“Okay, papa!” George shouted back, running to the door with Butler trotting beside him. Khan returned swiftly and as George was running past him, he playfully scooped the boy up into his arms. 

“Look, Jim, I’ve caught a little monster."

“Dad!” George protested, but his protest was undermined by the peals of laughter escaping him as he flailed about in Khan’s arms. Jim smiled at them before looking back outside, eyes gazing out at the horizon. He grabbed his locket, holding it up and opening it. 

From one side, his father, mother, and Sam smiled back at him. From the other, it was Khan, George, and Jim himself in their first family picture, their smiles complete mirrors to the three that came before them.

  
Jim shut the locket, took a breath, and walked over to his family.


End file.
